Strong Communities Start with Social Studies

Making time for elementary social studies isn’t just about fitting another subject into an already packed schedule—it’s about recognizing the essential role that social studies plays in shaping informed, engaged citizens. During this webinar, we explored practical strategies for prioritizing this vital subject in schools and districts. With panelists Dr. Rachel Strang (inquirED) and Courtney Leard (Washington County Public Schools), our discussion highlighted ways to overcome time constraints, integrate inquiry-based learning, and build a shared vision for social studies. The insights and strategies shared provide a blueprint for ensuring elementary social studies receives the attention it deserves.

Locus of Control

We started the webinar by asking Dr. Rachel Strang,  Managing Implementation Coach at inquirED,  about where she begins her work with district leaders, particularly how she starts conversations about making time for social studies. She often begins by discussing locus of control: “I often hear, ‘I don’t have control over how much time is allotted for social studies,’ but sometimes it feels like we don’t have control over these things. The question is, might we be able to influence them?”

Rachel shared how, in her former district, she worked with school principals to examine schedules and find space for social studies: “Rather than saying it’s the school leader’s decision, we thought, can we influence it?” She emphasized the importance of focusing on collaboration and what is possible instead of trying to change things you can’t control. “It’s about figuring out what’s within our control,” she explained, “and using that knowledge to make intentional moves forward.”

A Framework for Success

To prioritize elementary social studies, we need a clear framework that focuses on what's within our control. Rachel brought a framework with her adapted from Instruction Partners, and this framework guided our conversation during the webinar. To help us understand how the framework looks in action, Courtney Leard, Elementary ELA and Social Studies Content Specialist at Washington County Public Schools, joined us. Our discussion focused on three critical elements: Vision, Time, and Process—the foundational components of a successful implementation in elementary social studies.

Vision

Promoting a vision for elementary social studies is the starting point for creating momentum. A clear, articulated vision ensures that educators and leaders understand why social studies instruction is essential, helping to align priorities across schools and districts.

Courtney shared her experience in Washington County, where they developed a unified vision for Pre-K through 12th-grade social studies instruction. This vision, she explained, was created collaboratively with teachers from all grade levels and community members:

"All WCPS students have the right to expand their understanding of the world, its people, and themselves. Instruction, grounded in content knowledge and critical-thinking skills, empowers confident and informed students to address questions, form opinions, and solve problems relevant to their role as citizens in a global society.

The vision emphasizes the importance of allowing every student to engage meaningfully with social studies.  As Courtney noted, the process of developing the vision was intensive: "It was a 3-hour process all day of really us working, you know, what should be in there, what shouldn’t be in there from all stakeholders and all perspectives."

This vision is not only a guiding principle for instruction but also a commitment to ensuring that social studies is given the space and importance it deserves in the curriculum. Courtney emphasized: "Every student here has the right to be able to learn and engage in instruction and critical thinking." Rachel reinforced the idea that a strong vision is more than just a statement: "When you have a vision that is so powerfully built... everything tracks back to it – it helps you move forward."

Time

Time remains one of the biggest challenges for elementary social studies instruction. As Rachel explained: "When I meet with district leaders, instructional time is probably the number one issue. There’s just not enough minutes in the day."

Finding time for social studies in elementary schedules often means competing with other subjects like ELA and math. In response to this challenge, Courtney emphasized the importance of collaboration between subjects to make the most of the time available. She explained how her district began looking for connections between subjects, specifically between social studies and science: "Our science is inquiry-based. Our social studies is inquiry-based. There are connections there."

Instead of seeing subjects as competing for instructional time, her district focused on how they could complement each other. Courtney noted:

"We can all choose to fight and hold on to our times, or we can figure out a way to collaborate and really come together."

By working together, Courtney and her team were able to find opportunities for overlap, where students could build skills and knowledge across disciplines. This approach not only maximized the limited time available but also enriched the learning experience: "When we really did that, we found all those ways that the standards can support each other. It’s a win-win situation."

Courtney also pointed out that working across subjects has another benefit: reducing teacher workload and supporting better planning. By coordinating lessons between science and social studies, teachers only need to plan for one at a time, which eases the pressure on them:

"If they're only planning for one at a time, they don't have to go back and forth and switch on and off for that planning piece."

This collaborative approach allows districts to creatively address time constraints while ensuring that social studies remains a key part of the curriculum.

Process

An intentional process for reviewing, adopting, and implementing social studies is critical for long-term success. Rachel shared her experience as a district leader, where her initial focus was simply on getting social studies into the curriculum:

"We adopted a curriculum and I thought we could just implement it... but what I ran into was, I didn’t really have the buy-in. I didn’t really have an intentional process."

Without a clear process, even the best curriculum can face resistance from teachers and administrators. This is why it's essential to have a structured and thoughtful approach that involves all stakeholders—from district leaders to teachers—to ensure smooth implementation and success.

Courtney shared a similar experience from her district, where they transitioned from a traditional, recall-based social studies curriculum to one focused on inquiry-based learning. She explained how moving beyond rote memorization created a more engaging and meaningful experience for students: "Before, it was recall... Now, we really work for students to have some type of application in action. If you’re not doing something with the social studies, then why are we doing it?"

This shift required not only updating instructional materials but also ensuring teachers were fully on board and supported. Courtney highlighted the importance of collaboration and alignment among all levels of leadership and teaching staff:

"We had to figure out how to create a process that makes sense for everyone and ensures equity in education."

Central to this process was clear communication, as Courtney described how they leaned on data and research to help build trust: "We leaned into the research... There’s so much research out there, and we leaned into that with admin, with principals, and with other county-level folks who were making those decisions."

Pacing

Pacing is a crucial element in ensuring that all students receive an equitable and consistent education in social studies. Courtney’s experience in Washington County provided insight into how effective pacing supports student learning and teacher flexibility. She explained that in a district with more than 20 different elementary schools, pacing ensures that every student has access to the same high-quality education, regardless of their location: "Pacing ensures equity of education... It ensures that every child in my 26 different elementary schools has access to the same high-quality content and instruction."

Pacing guides help maintain consistency across classrooms, ensuring that teachers don’t fall behind on critical content. However, Courtney was clear that pacing is not about rigid timelines: "I’m not ever going to be a pacing police officer... You know your students. If that means you need to spend two days on a lesson, then you need to do that." The key, she explained, is to balance flexibility with the responsibility to cover essential content so that no students are left behind. Teachers are encouraged to adjust their pacing when necessary, but they must remain aware of the larger goals for the unit: "It’s not about day-to-day. It’s really about, ‘Hey, these are the big ideas that our students have to walk away with.’"

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Rachel agreed that pacing can be challenging, particularly in the early stages of implementing a new curriculum. In her experience, flexibility is key, and teachers need support as they learn to balance inquiry-based instruction with pacing requirements. She suggested that during the first year of implementation, it might be necessary to focus on fewer units to ensure a deep understanding of the material, rather than trying to rush through everything.

Courtney reinforced this point, explaining that their district’s approach to pacing helps alleviate some of the pressure on teachers: "If they're only planning for one subject at a time, they don’t have to go back and forth and switch on and off. It helps them focus and makes the whole process smoother."

By creating a pacing system that allows for flexibility but ensures essential content is covered, districts can provide both structure and autonomy to teachers, while maintaining equity for students. This ensures that all students, regardless of the classroom they’re in, receive a well-rounded and thorough social studies education.

Time for Elementary Social Studies: A Difference Maker

In this webinar, we explored the essential elements needed to prioritize elementary social studies—vision, time, and process. Both Rachel Strang and Courtney Leard provided valuable insights into how districts can successfully implement inquiry-based social studies, while also addressing the challenges of time constraints and gaining buy-in from all stakeholders. By focusing on a clear vision, collaborating across subjects, and following a structured process, schools can ensure that social studies remains a vital part of the curriculum.

To access more resources and tools that support implementation, explore the materials below, and don’t forget to watch the full webinar recording to dive deeper into the strategies and solutions discussed.